Thursday, 7 April 2016

Insulting the extremism of Islam(ism)

Guest Post by Adrian Morgan

Now is the time to insult the extremism of Islamism, while we still can.

When religionists act like this, they need to be stamped down. This horrific killing of one brave individual is an act of terrorism. Muslim extremists have learned since November 2, 2004 - when Mohamed Bouyeri slaughtered film-maker Theo van Gogh in an Amsterdam street - that you only need to slaughter one person and a whole society loses its ability to express itself freely.

After the murder in 1991 of Hitoshi Igorishi, Japanese translator of Satanic Verses, who was stabbed in the face and arms in Japan, the message sent was clear. Insult Islam at one's peril. Eight days earlier, the Italian translator had been stabbed but survived. Other people connected to publication of Rushdie's book were harmed but survived.

Four years ago Rushdie said that:

"A book which was critical of Islam would be difficult to be published now.... The only way of living in a free society is to feel that you have the right to say and do stuff..... If you look at the way in which free expression is being attacked by religious extremism, the things of which these people are accused is always the same - it's blasphemy, heresy, insult, offence - it's this medieval vocabulary.We're in a difficult place because there's a lot of fear and nervousness around."http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-19600879

Last week Rizz, editor of Charlie Hebdo, was castigated for talking of the same climate of fear and nervousness created by the extremists of Islam. His critics were Western liberals who try to show how they are sticking up for Muslims - when they are doing no such thing. They are trying to close down free speech, and appropriating the perceived "feelings" of Muslims as an excuse.

We are living in a supine culture where successive whines of outrage over expressions of opinion about a religious ideology are able to censor any criticism of this ideology. And meanwhile Islam continues to show no respect for those outside of its sphere of control.

The murderer of Glaswegian Asad Shah, an Ahmadi Muslim who dared to wish Christians a "Happy Easter," issued this statement yesterday:

'"This all happened for one reason and no other issues and no other intentions. Asad Shah disrespected the messenger of Islam the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Mr Shah claimed to be a Prophet.

"When 1400 years ago the Prophet of Islam Muhammad peace be upon him has clearly said that 'I am the final messenger of Allah there is no more prophets or messengers from God Allah after me. I am leaving you the final Quran. There is no changes. It is the final book of Allah and this is the final completion of Islam. There is no more changes to it and no one has the right to claim to be a Prophet or to change the Quran or change Islam.'

"It is mentioned in the Quran that there is no doubt in this book no one has the right to disrespect the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and no one has the right to disrespect the Prophet of Islam Muhammad Peace be upon him. If I had not done this others would and there would have been more killing and violence in the world. I wish to make it clear that the incident was nothing at all to do with Christianity or any other religious beliefs even although I am a follower of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him I also love and respect Jesus Christ."

Who is brave enough to stand up and say anything critical of Islam? If we do not stand up now to denounce the intolerance of Islamists and the cowardice of the "bien-pensants" of the media, we will soon enter an era when we will never again have genuine freedom of speech.

Back in February 2006, when Anjem Choudary organised an illegal demonstrations where his followers carried placards stating "Behead those who insult Islam," "Europe you will pay, 9/11 is on its way" and other provocative threats, his website carried the following:

"Kill those who insult the Prophet Muhammad (saw)

The kuffar in their sustained crusade against Islam and Muslims have yet again displayed their hatred towards us this time by attacking the honour of our beloved Messenger Muhammad (saw). In September 2005 the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 10 cartoons depicting the prophet Muhammad (saw) which were later republished by a Norwegian paper Magazinet. Until now both governments have refused to denounce the drawings and to condemn the publication of them.

Denmark has a history of blasphemy against Islam, only in August did radio presenter Kaj Wilhelmsen say that all fanatical Muslims should be exterminated and the rest should be kicked out of Europe. Last year the queen of Denmark aired her disapproval of Islam and for those ‘whom religion is their entire life’. Prior to this the Danish government issued the right to dismiss a Muslim woman from working in a supermarket for wearing the hijab. Furthermore Denmark is an ally of the war in Iraq with 500 troops stationed in the South and 10 from Norway showing their approval and participation of the war.

Both governments claim that one of their underlying principles is the freedom of speech and that everyone is free to speak their mind and to voice their opinions openly. They claim that the publication of these cartoons is a mere expression of ones opinions falling within the framework of the law. This is the same freedom of expression that quite readily prevents the propagation of Islam and support of the mujahideen using it as and when it suits them.

This should come as no surprise to the Muslims because this is the exact and true nature of the kuffar that Allah (swt) has informed us of in the Quran. The kuffar will never have respect for our deen, they will never honour it and will always seek to ridicule and disparage it. At every opportunity they will try to attack and belittle it whilst concealing the greater hatred they have for it in their hearts. This is also evident throughout the history of Islam where the kuffar carried out similar acts to try and defame Islam. Allah (swt) tells us that; verily, the Kaafireen [disbelievers] are ever unto you your open enemies. [4:101]

At the time of the Messenger Muhammad (saw) there were individuals like these who dishonoured and insulted him upon whom the Islamic judgement was executed. Such people were not tolerated in the past and throughout the history of Islam were dealt with according to the Shariah. Ka’ab ibn Ashraf was assassinated by Muhammad ibn Maslamah for harming the Messenger Muhammad (saw) by his words, Abu Raafi’ was killed by Abu Ateeq as the Messenger ordered in the most evil of ways for swearing at the prophet, Khalid bin Sufyaan was killed by Abdullah bin Anees who cut off his head and brought it to the prophet for harming the Messenger Muhammad (saw) by his insults, Al-Asmaa bintu Marwaan was killed by Umayr bin Adi’ al-Khatmi, a blind man, for writing poetry against the prophet and insulting him in it, Al-Aswad al-Ansi was killed by Fairuz al-Daylami and his family for insulting the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and claiming to be a prophet himself. This is the judgement of Islam upon those who violate, dishonour and insult the Messenger Muhammad (saw).

Shortly after these incidents the people began to realise that insulting the Messenger of Allah (saw) was not something to be taken lightly and that by doing so would mean that you would be killed for it, a concept that many have seem to forgotten today.

The insulting of the Messenger Muhammad (saw) is something that the Muslims cannot and will not tolerate and the punishment in Islam for the one who does so is death. This is the sunnah of the prophet and the verdict of Islam upon such people, one that any Muslim is able execute. The response of the Muslims all over the world shows us the inability to deal with such people, the kuffar are attacking our Messenger and are allowed to get away with it whilst the Muslims have no power to do anything about it. The leaders of the Muslim world have no care for the deen of Islam as they are busy cementing their seats content with their power and wealth. Where are the Muhammad ibn Maslamah’s of our ummah who will defend the honour of our beloved Messenger and rise the banner of Tawheed high?

But if they violate their oaths after their covenant, and attack your religion with disapproval and criticism then fight (you) the leaders of disbelief - for surely their oaths are nothing to them - so that they may stop (evil actions). {9:12}"
Choudary and his friends should have been dealt with then. They were not and they helped to influence those who went on to join ISIS and murder innocent people.

There is a malevolence that is at the heart of literalist, Salafist Islam, that lacks humanity and compassion. If we allow our lives, our whole societies, to be governed by the threats and intimidation of a handful of its most extremist followers, then Western democracy and secular societies will be brought to their knees. One of the main principles of a democracy is to have freedom of speech. When that goes, what remains?

When murderous religious ideologues can openly write threats against the lives of dissenters and yet walk free, but people are arrested by police for Tweets, we are reaching a turning point in our culture's history. If things do not change, then from now on, we will tell ourselves that we are free, but in practice, we will have no freedom to express ourselves. And the values of the Enlightenment, which came into being to challenge the oppressive tyranny of organised religion, will fade away as if they never existed.